Music-leaf turner.



J. A. HODAM.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATIQN FILED APR. 2, 1914- 1,149,052. Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

NH/Human COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0 WASHINGTON, 11c,

J. A. HODAM.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED n.2, i914 Patented Au 3, 1915.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J17. fzbdwm COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH 0)., WASHINGTON, D. c.

JOSEPH A. HODAM, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

Application filed April 2, 1914. Serial No. 829,093.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. HODAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music- Leaf Turners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in music leaf turners and resides in the provision of a music leaf turner which will turn the leaves or pages of sheet or book music in a reliable and expeditious manner, and which is capable of being read ily attached to pianos, organs and music racks.

An important object of my invention is to provide novel means whereby the leaves or pages of sheet or book music may be individually turned in both directions.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a novel form of means for operating the arms for turning the sheets or pages of the music.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a music leaf turner of the character described which is simple as to construction, reliable and eflicient in operation and cheap to manufacture.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated .in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out as claimed.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved music leaf turner, Fig. 2 is a top plan view, Fig. 3 is a side elevation, Fig. 4: is a top plan view showing the arms for turning the music upon one side of the device, Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the body and coiiperating parts to which the operating mechanism is attached and which is mounted upon a base board, Fig. 6 is a detail top plan View of the operatin plates for turning the pivoted arms, Fig. is a detail perspective view showing the construction of the arms at the pivoted ends thereof.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates as an entirety a base board having secured upon one end a music leaf turning mechanism supporting frame which consists of a rectangular body plate 2 having side flanges 3 through which suitable fastening means is inserted to secure the frame to the upper end of the body plate 1. The side flanges 3 engage the side edges of the body plate as clearly shown in Fig. 3 in the drawing and are bent outwardly at right angles to the body portion thereof and at the upper terminals thereof forming flanges 4. The flanges 4. are bent at their outer ends downwardly and inwardly toward the flanges 3 as at 5 and are secured in any suitable manner to the flanges 3. The body plate 2 is provided with a right angularly extending flange 6 at its upper terminal, the end edges of which are spaced from the inner edges of the flanges 4; sufiiciently to form slots 7. A guide bar 8 is secured in spaced relation to the plate 2 transversely of the body plate 1 and has angularly extending portions 9 formed at the ends thereof. The said extending portions 9 being secured to the body portion in any suitable manner between the portions 5 and flanges 4c.

Mounted upon a screw threaded boss or bearing 10 that is carried centrally of the side edges of the plate 2' is a pair of operating plates, each being designated 11 as an entirety. A screw pivot pin 12 006perates with a washer plate 13 and serves to pivotally secure the operating plates 11. The operating plates 11 are mounted one upon the other and pivoted approximately centrally. One end of each of the operating plates 11 is pivotally secured with one end of a bar 14, which at its other end is secured to one end of a flexible element 15. The operating plates 11 are so positioned as to move upwardly and outwardly between the guide bar 8 and outer face of the body plate 2. Pivoted as at 16 to the intermediate portion of each of the plates 11 is a link 17 that is operatively connected at its other end with one end of a retractile spring 18. The other end of each of the retractile springs 18 is secured by suitable fastening means 19 to the lower end of the base plate 1.

It will be readily seen that when a pull is communicated to the flexible element 15, the plates will be rotated on the pivot screw 12, and upon release of the flexible element 15 will be returned to normal position by the action of the springs 18.

Mounted upon a pivot screw 20 that is positioned centrally of the ends of the flange 6 on the body plate, 2 is a plurality of arms 21. These arms 21 extend in a horizontal plane at right angles to the body plate 1 and are disposed in a parallel plane with relation to each other. Secured or formed integral with the outer end of the arms 21 are spring clips 22 that extend downwardly at right angles to the arms 21 and are designed to clip the sheets or leaves of sheet or book music. These clips 22 each comprise a plate that is provided with a U-shaped slot 23 arranged to form a tongue 2%. p The clips 22 are formed of some suitable spring metal to provide the desired clipping or clasping ac tion. Each of the arms 21 is provided at its inner end with an upwardly bent portion 25 which is provided at its upper end with a lateral extension 26 carrying an enlarged apertured head 27 thereon. The portion 26 is approximately L-shaped so as to provide for the positioning of the arlns 21 in parallel relation to each other. The pivot screw 20 is inserted through the apertured portion 27 and it will thus be seen that the arms 21 are free to swing in a horizontal plane.

The arms 21 are designed to be swung from one side of the device to the other and as a means for guiding or keeping the arms in proper position I provide a pair of angular keepers 28 which are secured at their shorter portions to the rear face of the body plate 1 by suitable fastening means 29 and have their longer portions positioned in spaced parallel relation to the flange 6. These keepers 28 are 'L-shaped.

As a means for positioning the arms 21 so that they will be readily engaged and operated by the operating plates 11, I provide in each of the slots 7 previously described, a spring arm 30. This spring arm 30 is suitably secured within each of the slots 7 and extends upwardly above the upper surfaces of the arms 21. The spring arms 30 serve to hold the arms 21 forwardly with relation to the device and in such way that the plates will engage behind the arms and operate them as will be later more fully described. The arms 21 are positioned so as to slide over the guide bar 8.

Each of the operating plates 11 is disk like and provided with a V-shaped notch or cut out portion designated 31. The notching or cutting away of the plates forms pointed tongues or extensions 32. These tongues or extensions 32 are disposed upon the side of each of the plates 11 and are designed to move upwardly in an are into the space between the body plate 2 and guide bar 8 when a pull is communicated to the flexible element 15. As the spring arms 30 position the arms 21 so that they will be engaged by the plates 11, the pointed extensions 32 upon each plate upon the rotating of the plates move upwardly and behind or rearwardly of the outermost of the arms and in such way that upon the continued turning or rotation of the plates the arm will be swung from one side of the device to the other.

As a means for preventing the arms 21 from swinging forwardly, I provide an arcuate spring finger 33 upon each plate 11. The spring fingers 33 cross each other as clearly shown in Fig. 1 in the drawings and are preferably formed integral with the plates 11 but may be secured if so desired. The spring fingers 33 extend outwardly from the upper edge of the V-shaped cut out portion 31 of the plates and above the upper edge of the guide bar 8. The arms 21 when swung from one side to the other ride over the springs which are depressed when the arms are forced into engagement therewith and spring into normal position after the arms have passed thcreo 'er so as to prevent the arms from swinging forwardly accidentally. The members 14.- are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the ends of the plates 11 farthest removed from the pointed portions of the extensions 32.

In operation, assuming that all of the arms are arranged upon one side of the device as shown in Fig. 4:, the spring clips 22 are fastened to the leaves or sheets of music, and upon the pulling of the flexible element 15 upon the side of the device opposite to that upon which the arms 21 are arranged, the extension 32 of the plate 11 immediately adjacent to the arms wil be forced into engagement with the outermost of the arms and swing the outermost arm to the other side of the device after the manner previously described. The arm that is swung rides over the spring finger 33 on the plate 11 that is not operated and is positioned under the keeper 28 and in engagement with the spring arm 30. The spring arm 30 serves to push the next arm after the first one has been swung, into proper position. To return the arm that has been swung, the operation of the other plate is necessary. It will thus be seen that the arms 21 which are positioned normally in a forwardly and outwardly disposed plane with relation to the body portion of the device may be swung one at a time from one side of the device to the other.

As a means for properly spacing the arms so that their proper operation is assured, I provide on each arm intermediate the ends thereof a right angularly extending lug or extension 34. The lugs 3 1 engage the side of the adjacent arm opposite to the lug thereon and provide for the proper spacing of the arms as clearly shown in Fig. 2 in the drawings.

I provide guide pins 35 that are fixed upon the board 1 and adapted to engage the outer edges of the link 17 as clearly shown in Fig. 1 in the drawings. These guide pins serve to properly guide the link 17 when the plates 11 are operated.

It will be readily seen that I have provided a simple and reliable turner which will enable the leaves or pages of the sheet or book music to be turned one at a time back and forth if so desired in a most reliable manner.

The device may be readily assembled and disassembled and as readily attached to organs, pianos and music racks.

It is to be understood that the flexible element 15 may be connected to pedals not shown or operated by hand if so desired and in this connection it is not thought necessary to illustrate means for exerting a pull to the flexible element.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as set forth.

.What is claimed is 1. A music leaf turner comprising a base plate, a plurality of arms pivoted to one end of said base plate, plates pivoted one above the other on said base plate, and disposed at right angles to the plane of said arms, means for rotating said plates, said plates adapted to extend when rotated above the plane of and behind certain of said arms, means for forcing said arms into position whereby they will be engaged by said plates upon the rotation of said plates, means carried at the outer ends of the arms to secure a sheet or page of music to the arms and means carried by said plates to prevent accidental swinging of said arms.

2. A music leaf turner comprising a base plate, a plurality of arms pivoted to one end of said base plate and extending at right angles thereto, a pair of plates pivoted the one above the other on said base plate adjacent to the end thereof carrying said arms, said plates arranged to be rotated and extend above the plane of said arms behind certain of said arms and have portions thereof engage and move the arms from one side of said base plate to the other, fastening means upon the free ends of the arms, a guide bar for said plates mounted on said base plate adjacent to the end thereof carrying said arms and transversely of said base plate, means for rotating said plates, means for returning said plates to normal position, and means whereby certain of the arms are positioned for engagement with portions of the plates upon the rotation of the plates.

3. In a music leaf turner, a plurality of pivoted arms, operating plates pivoted one upon the other and operatively connected with said arms and designed to be moved into engagement with and swing the arms from one side of the pivot thereof to the other and said plates being notched to provide extensions and a finger formed on each of said plates for extending above the plane of said arms.

4. A music leaf turner consisting of a support, a plurality of turning arms pivoted to the support and having a common pivot axis, said arms being arranged to be swung from one side of the support to the other, a pair of operating plates pivoted the one upon the other upon said support and being arranged to rotate in a plane at right angles to the plane of the arms and to engage the arms to move them from one side of the support to the other upon rotation thereof, a spring member carried by the support engaging the arms and normally holding them in position to be engaged by the plates and spring stop fingers carried by the plates and having their free ends disposed above the plane of the arms, said arms being arranged to ride over the fingers when being moved from one side of the support to the other.

5. In a music leaf turner, a support, a plurality of arms pivoted to the support and arranged to be swung from one side thereof to the other, a pair of operating plates rotatably mounted intermediate their ends upon said support, each of said plates having a pointed extension thereon to engage and operate the arms upon rotation of the plates and an arcuate spring finger formed on each of the plates, extending toward the extension thereon and being arranged with its free end disposed above the plane of an arm and means to independently rotate the plate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. HODAM.

Witnesses:

F. J. THORP, W. H. WARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

